Macbook Air - USB hub or C-A adapters?

    Appealing to the Mac experts here.

    I just got a MacBook Air M2 (my first Mac, longtime windows guy here) and want to use it for DAW only (have Waveform but probably going down the Logic route) and want to connect my Stage and a Mackie Onyx 12 as USB audio interfaces (nothing more).

    I've read on several threads about connection/bandwidth issues when using a Hub, can you suggest one that works well with these applications or is it better to go with simple A-C adapter cables?

    Thanks in advance

    If something is too complicated, then you need to learn it better

    Longtime Mac User here, i never got a HUB which dont work, in your Case

    i would buy one with 3 or 4 USB A Slots, a USB C Slot which let you plug in the PSU for the Macbook

    and Network and HDMI Slots.

    You get them for appr 30 to 40 Bucks on amazon, no need to buy expensive ones,

    Anker is a serious manufacture with good quality

    I had a hub which was too flaky. I ended up with a C to B cable from Amazon which has not flaked once. I was doing a little recording with the USB drivers this morning and it worked out fine. RM seems to like it as well although I occasionally have to re plug it if the Mac goes to sleep for a while.

    A brace of Suhrs, a Charvel, a toaster, an Apollo twin, a Mac, and a DXR10

    Like 1
    Quote from digbob

    Longtime Mac User here, i never got a HUB which dont work, in your Case

    i would buy one with 3 or 4 USB A Slots, a USB C Slot which let you plug in the PSU for the Macbook

    and Network and HDMI Slots.

    You get them for appr 30 to 40 Bucks on amazon, no need to buy expensive ones,

    Anker is a serious manufacture with good quality

    Thanks fo the answer.

    Power is over Magsafe, not USB C.

    If something is too complicated, then you need to learn it better

    Quote from Morph

    I had a hub which was too flaky. I ended up with a C to B cable from Amazon which has not flaked once. I was doing a little recording with the USB drivers this morning and it worked out fine. RM seems to like it as well although I occasionally have to re plug it if the Mac goes to sleep for a while.

    Was also looking for those cables, but apparently they are nowhere in stock

    If something is too complicated, then you need to learn it better

    I have an M2 mini for my DAW. I would say connect your interface directly rather than through a hub if you can. The hub is adding another layer of electronics into the stream, which means more to go wrong. When I first tested running my Kemper in via USB I did so though my USB hub and it had noise issues. Direct I have no problems, although I still default to my Presonus ARC16c mixer and run the Kemper through it.

    If you do get a hub, don't go cheap. You get what you pay for. You wouldn't splurge for a high-end converter and then record everything with a sub-$50 mic. Not that you have to buy the priciest thing around, but you do have to pay for decent quality if you want good results. I've heard good things about Anker hubs (my day job is as a Mac admin for Cisco).

    I'm using a USB-C hub on my 2020 MacBook Air M1 and connect my Profiler Rack (to use Rig Manager) and my Mackie ProFX 16 to the MacBook for audio. Generally no problems -- occasionally RM won't see the Profiler, but just unplugging and re-plugging solves that.


    this is the hub i bought - USB-C Hub

    I would suggest to consider not just hub, but a docking station. It has longer cable that goes from dock to macbook (so you can hide dock under the table) and it can also charge your macbook (as far as I know, M1s and M2s can still be charged via thunderbolt port). It will make your setup cleaner – 1 cable connected to macbook, instead of 3. The only con is that those docks are all pricey.


    With my 2017 MB Pro I use Dell WD19TB – https://a.co/d/eBSyCH7. You can also take a look at CalDigit TS3 and TS4 (https://9to5mac.com/2022/03/05/caldigit-ts4-review/)

    Bumping this if I can,


    Has anyone with a Macbook Air M1 had success with a USB hub or dock and the Kemper? Or has anyone used a USB B to USB C cable?


    I've had non-stop issues running my Kemper through a USB hub which requires unplugging or restarting Rig Manager many times a day. I don't have any USB B to C cables and before I go that route, want to see if there's a good reliable hub out there.


    The one I'm using is a $100 "J5Create" hub from Best Buy, works great for everything except for Kemper.

    Yes. I never had issues of any kind regarding stability, connectivity and the like with my Caldigit hub.

    make sure that the hub you are using supports the MTT protocol. This will ensure that the Profiler gets all the bandwidth it requires.

    I'm on Windows 11, using USB2 active hub TP-LINK UH720, I have Kemper running on it, ARTURIA MIDI keyboard, I transfer files from my Android Phone and connect USB pendrive. Works stable all the time.

    Quote from Kemper Support #1

    you need to check the specifications. Alternatively, you could use any powered USB 2 hub but only connect the Profiler to it.

    Thanks - I’ve yet to see a hub that mentions MTT or STT in its specs. The powered hub works, and I’ve got a USB C to B cable coming as well to avoid the hub if/when necessary.